Robert g



R. C. MORTON.

Ore Jigger.v

No. 78,468. Patented June 2, 1868.

a W? 1 t; b M

//v vz/vrm- WITNESSES.-

Rs, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON. D C.

Rosanne. MORTON, or WEST LUBEGK, MAINE.

' Letters Patent No. 73,468, dated June 2, 1868.

inrnovsn ORE-SEPARATOR.

fill .Srhrhnlt march in in llgrse a'sns- EBatrnt mu mating not at 11,10 5am.-

TO ALL WHOM IT MATOONOERN:

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. MORTON, of West Lubech, in the county of-Washington, and State of Maine, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Ore-Separators; and I do hereby declare that the following .is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskill-ed in the art to make and use the same, refercncebcing-had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of 'this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section 'of my imprdvcd machine. through the line x as of fig.:2.

Figure 2 is a top view of the separator.

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the same through the line y y of fig.'2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. I

The natu re of'this invention relates to the separation of metallic ores by the pulsation or undulation of water, andconsists of a series of plunger-levers, vibrating above a series of water-cells. the plunger-levers and cells being arrauged to pulsat e the water wit'h difi'erent degrees of force. Other devices, perfecting the whole, render this separator more perfect in its action and economical in construction than the separators heretofore made and used. 7

In the accompanying plate of drawings, the boxer body of the machine-is shown at G. This box is divided .into separate cells or compartments, D D D D, by vertical partitionsla af a, as shown, and the cells thus made decrease in width and volume, as is observed infigs. 2 and 3;

Vibrating between the upper edges of these partitions arethe lever-plungers C C C C', which are hinged to the end of 'thcbox by any suitable hinges or the ends of. the said plungers may be confined between the metal strap or harp and the strip 9, as shown, as-thepIungers are fitted with finished contact of their sides and ends, with the partitions a a a, and cross-pieces r of the box, and are therefore held in place in the mantier of a hinge, as their greatest vibration is not sufiicient to lift them clear oil the cross-piece 'r.

The plunger-levers are operated by'means of a shaft, h, bearing cam-projections e, which impinge upon the roller d, held in slots inthe adjustable bars 8, which latter are pivoted across the platesf, afiixed to the top of the lever plungers', as shown.

Each plunger bears a plate,f, with its adjustable bar and roller, the said bar being pivoted to the plate at c, and provided with a set-nut, it, working on the screw formed on the reduced end of-tlle bar, which reduced end projects through a slot, 2', in the curved upright of the plate, as shown.

The function of the pivoted bar and its s et-nut is the adjusting of the roller at difi'erent distances from the cam-projection on the shaft, whereby-thevibration of each particular plunger is regulated with reference to the fineness of the ore-particles, as will be shown.

The water flows from a chute intothe sieve-tray H, as shown, and upon the crushed ore therein, and the pulsation of the plungers forces the water up through the sieve b, in-the manner common to other separators, but instead of operating upon the ore in one undivided tray, I divide the tray of my machine to correspond with the cells and plungers, by low partitions it, which correspond with the partitions a a a beneath, and, as the vibration of the plunger C is greater than that of the otherplungers, and the cell upon which it acts is less in space thanthe other cells, the pulsation which it causes will be greater, and the water will be forced through the sieve more eifectually thereby, admitting only the heaviest of the ore-particles to pass through the sieve. The next plunger is adjusted to a lesser degree ofvibration, and, as its cell is more spacious, its pulsation will be less forcible, whereby ore-particles of less bull: and consequent gravity will'bepermitted to pass through that por= tion of the sieveover the next cell D. The current of water from the chute carries the mineral particles'from which the metal particles have been separated into the next sieve-compartment, where, at.each one, it encounters an upward current of reduced force, suitablefor permitting the passage of the lighter metal particles, which were rejected from preceding cells, by reason of their lacking suflicient gravity to overcome the strength of the preceding currents.

Thus the crushed ore, in being Washed over the .diflereut cells, deposits the metal particles of different degrees of fineness, until, arriving above the last cell, D, where the current is weakest, the metal sediment is deposited, and the mineral residuum passes out at the slot 0, almost completely deprived of the metallic particles with which it was intermingled when taken from the stamping or crushing-mill.

Thus my invention enables me to save a greater per oentuof metal than the machinery heretofore used.

The water is suppliedto each cell by any suitable pipes, as those shown in red. Another improved adjunct to my separator is shown in the construction of the cocks in k k of each cell,

which are hinged and actuated to close the'exterior or month of the discharge-nozzles m, by means of a cap and spring, Z, asshown. In practice, the cavity of the cap will contain an elastic pad, as rubber or other suitable substance, and will thus retain the water without liability to become leaky from the action ofgrit or metal particles, as is the case with the common cocks now in use.

The plungcrs are actuated doivnwards bythe rubber springs j, the tension of which is adjusted by means of set-screws g. Y

The shaft fihas bearings inuprights, which are affixed to the box G,'and which uprights form a continuous part of the plate A,.abovc the plungers, as shown.

The slide E conducts the separated metal to the disohargcmozzlcs m. v

This machine is designed more particularly for lead ore, but is equally applicable as a gold-separator, or'

for the separation of all ores where the conditions are similar.

The caiins are-arranged atdifierent angles on the shaft, whereby each plungeuwill be actuated separately, and less power will be required to drive the machine than \vhen all the plungers are operated simultaneously.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The series of lover or hinged plungers C C G" 0" &c., acting upon the series of cells D D D D, substantially as shown and described, in combination with the corresponding compartment-tray H, all as and for the purpose set forth. l

2. The adjustable bars s, substantially as shown and described, in combination \viththc rollers d and cams c ofthc shaft b, all as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The lever-cocks is, substantially as shown and described, in combination with the box G, slide E, and plunger-s, all substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. 7 Y

4. The bar A, rubber springs j, plates and levcr-plungers, all constructed and operating substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. I i 5. Tray H, having partitions u u u, substantially as shown and described, in combination with a series of plungers and a series of cells D D D D, all as and for the purpose set forth. 1

' ROBERT C. MORTON.

Witnesses:

WM. F. MeNAMAnA, ALEX. F. Ronnn'rs. 

